Steering-knuckle for automobiles or motor-vehicles.



E. E.'M :INTYRE.. STEERING KN UGKLE FOR AUTOMOBILES 0R MOTOR VEHICLES.

I APPLICAT|0N FILD MAR. [1916- Fg fia g e Patenmd Jan. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I I Lam/vibe. l migym 7 EZmerEM E. E. MclNTYRE. STEERING KNUCKLE FOR AUTOMOBILES 0R MOTOR VEHICLES.

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APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. H, 1916- Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 V BE. MCINTYRE. STEERING KNUCKLE FOR AUTOMOBILES 0R MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR-11,1916.

Lfi fia Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F a 6 4W 0 Z Tat ana E. ucI' rYnE, orrrrrrsisonen, PENNSYLVANIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed March 11, 1916. Serial No. 83,497.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, Emma E. MCINTYRE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegh n'y and State of'Pennsylvania, have invented c'ertaiiinew and useful Improvements in stering Knuckles for Automobiles or Motor 'vehicles', of which the following is a specification.

"This invention relates to steering knuckles for automobiles and other" motor vehicles. Thefohjectsof the'invention are, to improve, simplify and render more stable the connection between theaxle and steering knuckle with view" to" minimize friction, 'practi-- cally to eliminate danger of breakage under qrainary conditions of use, and to facilitate repairswhen needed to improve the manner of "dis osing the antifriction bearings between the stub-axle and the hub, whereby to insure-the easy running of the parts and the practical Y preclusion of binding or locking should therebe a temporary lack of lubricant; to iniprove' the manner of holding the hub-packing combined with the hub and stubfaxle,"whereby to permit a ready adjustmentbf 'th'e packing-ring to prevent escape of the lubricant and to exclude the entrance {if dust O'rfother undesirable matter; to imprevethamanner of holding the packing between the stub-axle and axle end, whereby to permit a", greater pivoting of said stub-axle onlsa id'axleeiimand for the purpose'of preventing the entrance of dust, m'ii'd, slush, eta, to the'ihtrioif of said stub-axle to improve theenstruetion' of the axle end, whereby a broad surface is provided for the reception ofthrfistbearingsbetween the stub axle and axle, and generally to provide a strong, durable anupiaeticnform of steering knuckle. \Yith the above and other objects in'view, as will appear. as thenature ofthe invention is Eettefundepstoo'd, [the same consists in thenovel arran eme t and combination of the parts of a"s=teering'-1' uek1e forautomobilesafidbthef'motor' vehicles aswill' be hereinafter fully described and claimed. -Inlth' accompanying drawings forming apart 'of thi's specification, and in which like characters "of reference indicate corresponding-parts: i

"gure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section'al view of one'form 'of steeringknuckle,

hub and axle embodied in the invention.

Fig.1 2' is a horizontalsectional view taken 0n-li'ne2--2, Fiig.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1, of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation of the hub and stub-axle shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the axle being in section. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the hub and stub-axle, partly in section, showing a different arrangement of hub packing ring from that exhibited in Figs. 1 and 3. i

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the axle end taken on line 8 8,

Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the axle end shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 10-10, Fig. 6. Fig; 9 is a central horizontal sectional view of the stub-axle taken on line 2-2,"Fi g. '1', the axle end and bearings being removed.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the packing plates for holding the packing tween the stub-axle and the curved sideslof the axle ends. Referring to the drawings, and to Figs. 1 and2 thereof, A designates the axle, K

the stub-axle, and H the hub. The axle is provided at each extremity with a substantially circular boss 1. These bosses are, preferably, horizontally cleft, said cleft communicating with an open-end semicircularrece'ss a, the side walls of'which at the open end thereof are, preferably, beveled, as clearlyshown in Figs. 6 and 8, providing two ends 2 and 3, the cleft and semicircular recess a'being engaged in part by a tongue 4 projecting axially and horizontally fromthe inner wall of the stub-axle, and the ends and 3 being seated within a central chain ber 5 formed in said stub-axle, one aboveand the other "below said tongue. Disposedin seats 6 and '7 formed respectively in the uper face of the tongue 4 and in the inner surface of the lower'wall 8 of the'stub-axle are ball races 9 and 10 opposedby supplemental races 11 and 12 that bear against'the under sides of the ends 3 and 2, the pairs of races.

beingheld properly'spaced by balls 13 in the usual manner. Thestub-axle and axle'ends are provided with the usual registering pivot-pin openings.

The stub-axle, axle ends and bearings are held 'operatively assembled by a pivot-pin .14: constructed from a smooth cylindrical length of metal. In order to enable the axle to withstandthe wear to which it will necessarily be sub ected, the pivot-pin openings forced into said openings and are retained therein by frictional contact with the walls of said openings." 'V Vhen the parts are assembled the pivot-pln fits tightly into its openings in the stub-axle, and snugly into the openings of the axle-endstoperrnit said axle-ends to pivot freely thereon, as is apparent. 7

Toprevent entrance of dust, snow and slush .to the pivot-pin and ball bearing races 1 surrounding the same, there isarranged in the outer end ofthe chamber 5, at each side thereof, between its vertical walls and the curved vertical outer walls of the recess a, in the boss 1 of the axle, andin contact 1 therewith, a packing 14, preferably of felt,

that is held in place by obliquely disposed plates 45v secured by screws 46. seated in the inner wall of the stub-axle, as shown in Figs. 2, 4:; and 5. The outer curved surfaces of the 1 walls of the recess a are of such length that there will. always be contact between such walls and the packingl regardless of the extent of the pivoting ofv the stub-axle on the axle ends. This oblique arrangement of the packing 44, not only prevents the entrance of dust, dirt, etc., to the interior of the stubaxle,but permits a greater. extent of pivot: ing of said stub-axle on said axle ends, as is evident.

. Surrounding the stub-axle is one ring16 of a roller bearing raee, the opposing ring 17 beingseated in a recess .18 formed in the inner wall of the hub. The ring 16 is pro vided with ,a rounded flange 19 that engages a similarly shaped shoulder 20. on the stub. axle, and the ring 17 is provided with a rounded flange'21 that engages a similarly shaped shoulder 22 vat the innerend of the recess 18 in the hub, the two flanges being 1 oppositely disposed to provide-a racewayfor a series of roller bearings 23 thatare dis posed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the huband are held in place bythe roll. retainers 2a, the ends of these bearings being convex to take upend thrust. In orderto insure theretention of lubricant and prevent the entrance of dust, snowand slush to the race rings 16and 17 and the roller bearings 23; therein, there'is arranged at the inner endof the hub, contiguous to the outer ends of the rings 16 and 17, a felt packing-ring 40 that is held in place. by. a ring-nut 41 that is threaded into the hub,.and is provided with sockets 42 to be. engaged by a spanner wrench, the nut 41 being held against working loose or becoming lost by'locking screws 43 threaded into the hub and having their head'slapp'ing the outer surface of said ringnut 41, as-shown. i

The outer end of the stub-axle is provided with a spindle 25. having'a reduced threaded terminal 26 on which is seated a j a1n-nut .27

and a locking nut 28. Surrou'ncling'the'spindle is 'one ring 29 of a roller bearing race, the opposing ring 30 being seated in a recess 31 formed in the inner wall of the outer end of'the hub, the race defining a circumferentialshoulder or bearing 32, the inner wall 33 of which is curved and is engaged by a similarlyshaped flange 34 on the inner end of the ring 30, the inner end of the ring 29 being arranged to engage-theshoulder 35 of the spindle 2.5. Theouter endof the ring-29 is, provided with a circumferentialfiange36 having its inner wall curved, and this flange in conjunction with the fiange34e off-the ring 3O defines a channel for the reception of the roller bearings 37, the ends. of which-are rounded to take up end-thrust, andengage the rounded surfaces of the fianges 3tand 36. 38 aresuitable roller retainersinterposed betwecn the ends of the rings 29; and 30, and are designedto hold the rollers,- in place when the bearing is removed. jl/Vhile the roller bearings .interposed between the stub-axle and hub maybe cylindrical, as

shown'in Fig. 1, I prefer to use the tapered rollers .shown' in Fig. 3,.as it has been found thatithe purpose for which they are designedmaybe more quickly and efl'ectually.accon1-- plished. y f

, A-feature of novelty in the invention re j sides in the fact that the. race rings 29 and 30 and the rollers 37, inconjunction with thc. nuts 27 and '28, constitute the means for hold;

ing the huband stub-axleassembled and also for taking up'wear in allbearings int n posedbetweenthe hub and the stub-.axlait beingseen by reference to Fig.1 1 thatwhen said nuts are properly. seated, the ring 29,-

will befheld firmly and positively against lateral or endwisemovemcnt, while the ring 30 will be ,simila-rly retained in; place. .by means of the interposed; rollersB'ZtWhiQh engage the shoulder 34 of said ri.ng.30.,'The cap 39,-threaded on the outer end of the hub is of the usual-construction and for-the usual purpose. f

The hub flanges 4E7 and 48 areof the usual or any preferred construction, the flange'4;8

being detachable to permit insertion'ofthe spokes'f 1 1 .The structure shown in Figs. ,3 and 5 is the same. as that above described, except that the rollersbearingseg) and 50 are disposed obliquely-to theaxis, of thehub, 1 1 a, 1 In the construction shown. in ,Fig. 5,the plates. 5? forthqaxle-end packing 58 are obliquely disposed relative to the axis of the hub, and are secured to; the stub-axle..--by,

screws62. The ring-nut'5 9 shownin. this 1 figure is provided with an inwardly project ing flange. 60 to engage the packing ring 61.

In each form of the above described inventlon the operation thereofisthe same, and

accomplishes thefunctions'statedimapraetical and certain manner; It is to be under:

stood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be adopted without departing from the invention defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A steering knuckle having in combination, a stub-axle provided with a pivot-pin opening, and having therein a central openend chamber with a fiat substantially circular tongue projecting axially and horizontally from the inner end wall thereof, an axle having substantially circular bosses at the ends thereof with a pivot-pin opening therein, each boss being horizontally bifurcated to the pivot-pin opening and having asubstantially serni-circular recess therein extending from said bifurcation into said boss, said bifurcated boss being adapted to set into the chamber in the stub-axle, and the tongue in the stub-axle being adapted to set in said bifurcation and into the adjoining recess, and a pivot-pin for holding said parts assembled.

2. A steering knuckle having in combination, a stub-axle rovided with a pivot-pin opening, and having therein a central openend chamber with a flat substantially circular tongue projecting axially and horizontally from the inner end wall thereof, an axle-end having a substantially circular boss with a pivot-pin opening therein, said boss being horizontally bifurcated to the pivotpin opening and having a substantially semicircular recess therein extending from said bifurcation into said boss, said boss being adapted to set into the chamber in the stubaxle, and the tongue in. said chamber being adapted to set in said bifurcation and into the adjacent recess, and a. pivot-pin for holding said parts in assembled position, packing strips arranged in the outer end of said chamber, one at each side thereof, adapted to bear against and sweep the vertical curved walls of said circular boss between the bifurcation therein and the axle, and obliquely disposed retaining plates secured to said stub-axle and adapted to hold said packing strips in position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. MCINTYRE. \Vitnesses:

E. F. HESELBARTH, O. W. HESELBARTI-I.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

